Big Ten Awards - Week 6

Team of the Week : Indiana -- Coming into Saturday the Hoosiers have never beat Penn State in the previous 16 meetings.  That changed Saturday in Bloomington when the Hoosiers won their first conference opener win since 2000 also.  Indiana didn't fluke win over Penn State, they destroyed them 44-24.  The win was desperately needed for the Hoosiers if they want to play in a bowl game this year.

Game of the Week : Ohio State 40 - Northwestern 30 -- In a game that was really a lot closer than the score (since the Buckeyes put up 6 on the last play).  In a see or red in Evanston, the Wildcats went toe to toe with Ohio State most of the game, leading most of it too until Carlos Hyde put in his 3 second half touchdown rushes.  Even with that Wildcats still had a chance when they were stopped on 4th and 1 on the Buckeyes side of the 50.  Ohio State and Urban Meyer have now won 18 in a row, and with their upcoming schedule, many wonder how many more marquee wins it can notch till the battle with Michigan and a Big Ten Championship Game.

Player of the Week : Carlos Hyde - RB - Ohio State : Struggling most the first half against the Wildcat Defense, the Buckeyes relied on Hyde's legs the second half.  Hyde's 3 touchdowns came in the 2nd half, the last putting the Buckeyes up for good late in the 4th quarter.  Hyde finished the evening with 168 yards rushing and 3 scores, and getting rocked on a huge hit late in the fourth quarter also.

Jimmy John's Big Ten Challenge:
Matt: 3-2  12pts / 48-7  293pts
Chad: 3-2 12pts / 45-10  287pts
Kyle: 2-3 6pts / 46-9  282pts

Big Ten Predictions – Week 13

Big Ten

Game of the Week

Penn State vs Wisconsin

Really simple, this is a Big Ten semifinal.  The winner gets the division and goes to Indianapolis to play Michigan State for the 2011 Big Ten Championship!  Penn State takes its tough D to Madsion against what is the toughest offensive line in the Big Ten.  They’ll need to contain Monte Ball and Russell Wilson to have a chance.  Other side of the ball, Penn State is going to need a big game from Silas Redd again to have any shot.  I think Penn State is walking into a buzz saw here and will have their hopes dashed quick.  Badgers 43 – Nittany Lions 17

Big Ten Week 13 Picks

Iowa vs Nebraska – Iowa (C/K) / NEB (M)

Illinois vs Minnesota – ILL (M/C/K)

Michigan State vs Northwestern – MSU (M/C/K)

Ohio State vs Michigan – MICH (M/C/K)

Penn State vs Wisconsin – WISC (M/C/K)

Purdue vs Indiana – PUR (M/C/K)

Big Ten Jimmy John’s Challenge

Chad (66-24)          Matt (65-25)         Kyle (64-26)

Upset Alert

Michigan State

--Sparty has the Big Ten Legends tied up, the fighting Fitzgeralds are on a roll right and are looking to improve their bowl prospects.  The only way MSU makes a BCS bowl is to win the Championship, I think you may see the “rest” some in the second half vs Northwestern.

Big Ten Awards – Week 11

Team of the Week: Michigan State

Sparty had a lot to play for this week in what has been a house of horrors for them.  It’s been since 1989 since Michigan State had won in Kinnick Stadium.  They came out and punched Iowa in the mouth and got 2 big turnovers and turned them in to 14 points and eventually a 37-21 win over Iowa and took a HUGE step in moving forward to the Legends Division title and a trip to Indy for the inaugural Big Ten Title game.  Northwestern and Indiana stand in the Spartans way.  A win this week end clinches a tie for the  division for Michigan State.

Helmet Sticker: Jeremy Ebert : WR : Northwestern.  The Wildcats stepped away from conference play this week with a game vs Rice.  The Wildcat WR had a big day too.  Ebert had 7 catches, 208 yards and 2 scores.  The Cats are now a win away from bowl eligibility.

Game of the Week: Purdue 26 – Ohio State 23

The Boilers fought the Buckeyes nose to nose and took a lead, punched them in the nose.  Ohio State scored a late touchdown when trailing 20-14, and blocked a field goal to send the game to overtime.  The Boilermakers then held off the Buckeyes just enough to get the win.  The Boilers have won 2 straight vs. OSU at Ross-Ade Stadium and are a win away from bowl eligibility.

Big Ten Jimmy John’s Challenge

Chad (62-22)          Matt (61-23)          Kyle (60-24)

Big Ten Takeaway:  Lots of respect to Bo Pelini this week.  His statements after the Penn State-Nebraska game were more powerful and meaningful than any explosion he had on the sidelines at the refs or a player in his comments about the situation at Penn State.  He said that the game should have been cancelled.  As a university it was a teaching moment to the young kids on his team and also those watching sports center.  Props to him.

National Takeaway: I thought one unbeaten would fall this weekend with Oregon upsetting Stanford.  I never thought Boise State would go down to TCU.  The BCS may have gotten messier with the Broncos unbeaten no more, Oklahoma State and LSU both have tough games ahead.  We may still be in for one big mess!

Heisman Ballot:  Kellen Moore : Boise State / Case Keenum : Houston / Andrew Luck : Stanford

Big Ten Player of the Year Top 3: Montee Ball : Wisconsin / Russell Wilson : Wisconsin / Marvin McNutt : Iowa

Big Ten Awards – Week 10

Team of the Week: Northwestern – The ‘Cats have had some struggles this year with a loss to Army and close losses in the Big Ten in a season where it looked like they had high bowl hopes.  Well the Fighting Fitz’s went into Memorial Stadium in the Sea of Red and upset the CornHuskers and put the Legends Division in a flat out dog fight the last 3 weeks.

Helmet Sticker: Marcus Coker – RB – Iowa: The Hawkeye back had his 6^th 100 yard game with 2 tds this season and is carrying the Hawks.  He is the leading rusher in the Big Ten and number 5 in the nation with 1101 yards and 12 scores.  As Coker goes, the Hawkeyes go. 

Game of the Week: Iowa-Michigan.  The Hawks jumped on Michigan early, then the Wolverines hit back.  Iowa kept punching though and went up 24-16 with a few minutes left.  Denard Robinson led Michigan down to the 2 and there was a catch that looked like Michigan thought they won but the ball hit the ground after replay.  Denard then missed the next two passes as the clock hit 0 and a week after losing to the Gophers the Hawks upset the #13 Wolverines.

Big Ten Takeaway: Michigan State and Iowa are now the front runners in the Legends Division and face off this week in Iowa City.  Sparty hasn’t won since 1989 in Iowa City, and this game may be the biggest in the series.  Winner is most likely going to Indy.

NCAA Takeaway: LSU and Alabama have great defenses…that was seen Saturday night, but please don’t call that the game of the century.  The hype was overblown, though it was a physical game.  There shouldn’t be a rematch, unless there is a rubber game.  Oklahoma State should they go unbeaten deserves the title shot.  Stanford, I think you get beat this weekend. 

Jimmy John’s Big Ten Challenge

Matt (58-20)          Chad (59-19)          Kyle (55-23)

Big Ten Awards - Week 5

Team of the Week - WISCONSIN - Well that wasn't the welcome Tom Osborne and Big Red.  Wow did Wisconsin look good.  Getting down 14-7 and then rallying off 34 straight points.  Russell Wilson looked great like he has the past 4 games and Monte Ball scampered for 4 tds and 151 yards.  Nebraska got into passing situations and this is were Taylor Martinez struggles, and it showed.  The Husker QB tossed 3 picks.  The Huskers welcome tour heads home to face the struggling Buckeyes next week.

Helmet Sticker - AJ Jenkins-WR-Illinois - The Illinois wideout had a HUGE day in the shoot out with the Wildcats.  Jenkins caught 12 passes for 248 yards and 4 scores in the 38-35 win over Northwestern.

Monte Ball-RB-Wisconsin - The Badger running back rolled up 151 yards and 4 scores vs the vaunted Nebraska Blackshirt Defense.  Ball has been a touchdown scoring machine for the Badgers, with 6 tds this year on the ground and 22 since the beginning of last season.

Game of the Week - Illinois 38 : Northwestern 35 - If you blinked in the 2nd half you missed an arena game break out at Memorial Stadium in Champaign.  The Illini needed 21 points in the fourth quarter to move to 5-0/1-0 and are a surprise in the Big Ten and the nation.  Northwestern couldn't contain AJ Jenkins as he rolled up 248 yards recieving and QB Nathan Scheelhouse had 391 yards passing a 4 tds.  In return to Big Ten play, Wildcat QB Dan Persa tossed 4 tds.  

Highlight of the Week - coming soon

Big Ten Takeaway - Where did the Fighting Zooker's come from?  5-0/1-0?  Will the keep up with the Badgers?  That will be hard, Wisconsin looks really good and like a top 4 team in the nation after they rolled up Nebraska.  Michigan State got a nice win in the Horseshoe to stay a top the Legends Division with rival Michigan.  

National Takeaway - Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma and Wisconsin are the class of FBS.  I wish we could see these four teams playoff.  Luckily we get to see the Tide and Tigers face off, but a four team playoff?  Hello NCAA?  Robert Griffin III has had one hell of a season so far, and has thrown one bad pass, an interception that lead to Kansas State to an upset of Baylor.  

Heisman Ballot - Russell Wilson:Wisconsin, Robert Griffin III:Baylor, LaMichael James:Oregon

Jimmy John's Big Ten Challenge

Week – Matt (6-0)          Chad (5-1)                Kyle (5-1)

Season – Matt (41-11)          Chad (40-12)          Kyle (39-13)

Big Ten Awards - Week 1

The big news of the week in the Big Ten was that mother nature suspended games in Iowa City and even called the game in Michigan.  Other teams had some scares.  Purdue barely escaped Middle Tennessee State while Indiana fell to Ball State, and Minnesota put a scare in to USC at the Coliseum.  The rest of the conference rolled to a wins they were expected too.

Team of the Week: Northwestern - The Wildcats went on the road to Boston College without their Heisman Candidate QB Dan Persa and came out with a 24-17 win.  The Cats rolled up 227 yards rushing against the top team against the run in 2010.  Northwestern gets to come home next week 1-0 and host Eastern Illinois.

Game of the Week: USC 19 - Minnesota 17 - The Gophers went in to LA and even after starting QB Marquis Gray got hurt, they still managed to hang with mighty Trojans.  Jerry Kill had his Gophers ready to play, they might be a competitive out in the Big Ten this coming year.

Helmet Stickers:  Brandon Herron from Michigan became the first Wolverine to score 2 defensive touchdowns in one game.  He nabbed a interception return as the Broncos were going into score and then a fumble recovery for 6.  


Russell Wilson opened his Badger season with a nice performance in a dominating game over the visiting UNLV Rebels.  Passed for 255 yards and 2 TDs and scampered for a long 46 yard touchdown. 

Highlight of the Week:  Brandon Herron's 98 yard interception return for a touchdown at the 1 minute mark.




Russell Wilson TD run…go to about the 2 minute mark.

Big Ten Weekly Picks

Matt (10-2)   -   Chad (11-1)   -   Kyle (10-2)

Big Ten Football - Week 1 Predictions

The Big Ten Slate is pretty much chalk this week, as you would expect in week 1.  2 teams have ventured out to play quality opponents, Minnesota will travel to Los Angeles to take a whooping and receive a check from USC and then there is the Game of the Week. 

NORTHWESTERN vs BOSTON COLLEGE

11AM CST – ESPNU

Northwestern travels east to take on Boston College.  The Fighting Fitzgerald’s and Dan Persa should put up a really good fight here and I expect the game to be close.  If Persa is back 100% from the injury they’ll fight to the end.  My prediction though is Boston College pulls it out in the end at home.

Boston College – 27 : Northwestern – 23

Last year my buddy Chad and I had a Jimmy John’s Big Ten Challenge on picking conference games only…Chad won by +3.  This year we are going to do the same but on the whole season along with Kyle.  If we differ on our picks I’ll have them split with a “/” and put (m) or (c) or (k)  and then a weekly running total.

Week 1 BIG TEN PICKS

UNLV @ Wisconsin – Wisconsin

Youngstown State @ Michigan State – Michigan State

Northwestern @ Boston College – Boston College (M) (K) / Northwestern (C)

Akron @ Ohio State – Ohio State

Indiana State @ Penn State – Penn State

Tennessee Tech @ Iowa – IOWA

Middle Tennessee @ Purdue – Purdue

Minnesota @ USC – USC

Western Michigan @ Michigan – Michigan

Chattanooga @ Nebraska – Nebraska

Arkansas State @ Illinois – Illinois

Ball State vs Indiana at Lucas Oil Stadium – Indiana

Matt (0-0)

Chad (0-0)
Kyle (0-0)

 

National Game of the Week

OREGON VS LSU

COWBOY STADIUM

LSU looked like a BIG TIME contender for the 2011 Championship (I had them picked originally to play for the title) but now with suspensions of Jordan Jefferson there are a bunch of questions in the Bayou.  Oregon isn’t without its issues either.  Recruiting scandals have haunted the Ducks and Chip Kelly this summer too.  But both schools open up in the preseason top 5 and visit in Dallas at the JerryDome in a made for TV matchup. 

Oregon should still be able to produce some big points with LaMichael James and their offense…LSU with the suspensions still has a heck of a defense.  I think with that Oregon will somehow figure out to score some more points with the suspensions and wins CLOSE.  OREGON 24 – LSU 21

2011 Big Ten Predictions

Welcome to the new Big Ten (+2) for now.  With the rumors of Texas A&M bolting to the SEC with Oklahoma maybe it looks like the college football world maybe an ever shifting landscape again.

But for now the Big Ten has gained the Cornhuskers and split into 2 equal divisions, Legends and Leaders.  Complain what you will about the names but I don’t mind them, I know who is in what division, just give it time.  The first Big Ten title game is scheduled to be played in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium to be televised on Fox.  Should be a fun little change from when we had 2 teams going 8-0 being co-Champs. 

How will the season play out?  How will the Huskers do in their inaugural season?  Here’s my predictions, sure to go wrong.

LEGENDS        B1G      SEA                 LEADERS         B1G      SEA

Nebraska          7-1        11-1                 Wisconsin         7-1        11-1

 Iowa                 6-2         10-2               Ohio State         5-3          8-4

Michigan St       5-3          8-4                Penn State        5-3          8-4

Michigan           4-4          8-4                Illinois                2-6         6-6

Northwestern     4-4          7-5                Purdue              2-6         5-7

Minnesota         0-8          3-9                Indiana              1-7         4-8

Nebraska over Wisconsin

Big Ten Bowls

Rose – Nebraska

Fiesta – Wisconsin

Cap 1 – Iowa

Outback – Ohio State

Gator – Penn State

Insight – Michigan

Texas – Michigan State

Ticket City – Northwestern

Pizza - Illinois

Big Ten Awards

Big Ten Coach of the Year – Bret Bielema : Wisconsin

Big Ten MVP – James White : RB : Wisconsin

Notes

For the season I think that with no Pryor and changing of the guard at Ohio State and the current suspensions and penalties yet to be handed down will hang over the program and they will struggle a bit, and I think Michigan trips them up at the end of the year. 

I think Wisconsin gets Nebraska in Camp Randall, but will lose the rematch in Indianapolis. 

I think Iowa will surprise some people being the underdog and with a favorable schedule and the Legends Division comes down to the Friday after Thanksgiving in Lincoln, oh the start of a new Rivalry!

The Jerry Kill era in Minneapolis has a rough start going in the Big Ten…as does the Kevin Wilson era in Bloomington.

Penn State ends its struggles with Iowa and knocks off the Hawkeyes this year in Happy Valley.